বাংলা 
English 
It was Nizamuddin's view that perhaps it was because Lalon was born on the tithi of Dol Purnima that throughout his life, on the night of Dol Purnima in the month of Falgun, he would sing and play music all night in the open field with his disciples. In that tradition, the Lalon Academy still arranges every year a three-day Lalon Memorial Festival on the night of Dol Purnima in the month of Falgun.
Lalon composed the verses of his songs by word of mouth alone. When a new song arose in his mind he would call his disciples and say — "A shoal of pon fry has arrived." Lalon would sing it out, and Fakir Manik Shah and Maniruddin Shah would write the song down. Even in Lalon's lifetime his songs won immense popularity. Fakir Manik Shah was one of the finest singers of that time. Lalon's disciples reckon the number of his songs at more than ten thousand. But in truth so vast a number of songs cannot be found. It is heard that after some of Lalon's disciples died, their songbooks were buried in their graves. Moreover many devotees took the songbooks away and never returned them.
Khulna Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Abdus Samad said that researchers of Lalon have presented Fakir Baul Emperor Lalon Shah in many ways. He is such a sage that research on him can go on for centuries. Along with people like Rabindranath and Lalon, men of many kinds of wisdom were born in this Kushtia. For that, this Kushtia is proud, and we of the Khulna division too may be proud.
He said the French nation feels pride in its art culture, the British feel pride in their police, and Bengalis abroad, it is said, feel pride in their cooking — while the people of this Kushtia can feel pride in Lalon and Rabindranath. Lalon is not of this Kushtia or this country alone; his nectar-like words have spread across the world.
He said these things on Thursday night at the Akhrabari at Cheuria, as chief guest on the second day of the discussion meeting held on the occasion of celebrating the memorial festival of Baul Emperor Fakir Lalon Shahiji, arranged by the Lalon Academy with the assistance of the Ministry of Culture.
Noting that Lalon must be spread throughout the world, he said further that from this greater district including Kushtia of Lalon, a heritage tourism trail should be built reaching as far as the Sundarbans, so that we may walk in step with the whole world and with Lalon. The speakers gave various facts about Lalon's literary work. Lalon's life is like a university. His thought and consciousness are of the present day. Today everyone asks, what caste is Lalon's in the world? Lalon means to say, "I am human" — that is the great word. Whether one is Hindu or Muslim is not the great matter.
The Divisional Commissioner said, "Above all is man, beyond him there is nothing", "Speak the truth, walk the good path, O my mind" — Lalon's nectar-like words and Lalon's thought and consciousness are indispensable for today's time, to humanize people and to build an enlightened world. Lalon Shahi saw all classes and religions of society as one until the end of life. The life of Baul Emperor Fakir Lalon Sai was one of variety. So let us carry Lalon's words in a corner of our minds.
On the festival day of this year's memorial utsab, the Akhrabari of the Baul Emperor at Cheuria was drenched in the dust of the feet of the thousands of devotees and sages-gurus who came from home and abroad. Though the programme ran for three days, many of the Baul sages began leaving the Akhrabari on Tuesday, the day before the programme began, after their guru-work, and the next day, Wednesday, after the balya-seba.
On the occasion of Baul Emperor Lalon Shah's memorial festival day, a rural mela was held in the courtyard of the Akhrabari. Traders displayed various wares at the mela, including the nagor-dola. Besides the Lalon stage, the Bauls sat in scattered assemblages of song at different places. After the discussions, Lalon music was performed on the Lalon stage by a combination of various artistes and cultural organizations.
Invitation stands for the Lalon Tirodhan Utsab 2016 — 1 Kartik 1422 Bangabda, 16 October 2016.
